Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1753-1761. 183

Maryland ss: By his Excellency Horatio Sharpe Esq^r
Governor and Commander in chief, in and
over the province of Maryland.

A Proclamation

Whereas the present general Assembly of this province
was this 30^th Day of March appointed to be held at the City
of Annapolis, and whereas there is not a sufficient Number
of Members met to make a House, occasioned by the small
pox still continuing in the said City, I have therefore thought
fit with the Advice of his Lordship's Council of State further
to prorogue the same, and I do hereby further prorogue the
same to Tuesday the fifth Day of April next to be then held
at Baltimore Town in Baltimore County, and to the Intent
that all persons concerned may have due Notice thereof I
do hereby strictly charge and require the several Sheriffs of
this province to make this my proclamation public in their
respective Counties in the usual Manner, as they will answer
the contrary at their peril: Given at the City of Annapolis
this 30^th Day of March in the 6^th Year of his Lordships Do-
minion Annoque Domini 1757.
The following Letter from the Board of Trade was trans-
mitted by the Governor to Benjamin Tasker Esq^r

Whitehall October 9^th 1756.
S^r
It having been represented to his Majesty, that the sev-
eral Islands and Colonies belonging to the French in Amer-
ica have in Times of War been frequently supplied with
provisions of various Kinds, by means of the Trade carried
on from his Majesty's Islands, and Colonies to the Colonies
and Settlements belonging to the Dutch and other neutral
Powers, it is his Majestys Pleasure that you do forthwith
upon the Receipt of this Order give immediate Directions,
that an Embargo be laid during his Majesty's Pleasure upon
all Ships and Vessels clearing out with Provisions from any
Port or Place within your Government, except those that
shall be employed in carrying Provisions to any other of his
Majesty's Colonies and Plantations which Ships or Vessels
are to be allowed to sail from Time to Time, provided that the
Masters or Owners do, before they are permitted to take
any Provisions on Board enter into Bonds with two Sureties
of known Residence there, and Ability to answer the Penalty,
with the Chief Officers of the Customs of the Ports, or Places
from whence such Ships or Vessels shall set sail, to the Value
of one thousand pounds if the Ship be of less Burthen than
one hundred Tons, and of the Sum of two thousand pounds

Lib. J. R.

& U. S.
p. 156